Orlando
by ChickWithThePurpleGuitar
Summary: Trigger Warnings- Tribute to victims of the Orlando shooting. Percy hears about the horrible event of this week and tries to understand it and find out how he can help from the only person he knows who it directly affects- Nico di Angelo. Oneshot.


**A/N: Hi guys. It's been a tough couple of days, for a lot of people, including me. After what happened in Orlando yesterday, I felt like I needed to do something to put my voice out about everything that's been going on, and this was the way I was most comfortable with. It was supposed to be a Solangelo fic, but then… So much of the talk online has been about straight people trying to speak for LGBT people when they shouldn't, because as much as they want to help, they'll never be able to understand what the LGBT community goes through day after day. And this was the best way I could think of to express that, from both sides.**

 **Trigger warnings- talk of the Orlando massacre. Please don't read if you think this will upset you too much. Take care of yourself.**

 **I love each and every one of you who read my stories, no matter who you are, what you do, or who you love. Please stay safe, especially LGBT people during Pride month, and if you ever need someone to talk to, please feel free to message my Tumblr, chickwiththepurpleguitar. I'm always here.**

Orlando

Percy Jackson wasn't one to watch the news, especially during the summer- it was too hard to access mortal TV stations at Camp Half-Blood, and there were enough sad things happening in the demigod world that he didn't need all the mortal drama added on top of it. And he couldn't exactly read newspapers, what with the dyslexia and immensely short attention span.

So it was a while before he heard. About Orlando. About 50 people dead, 53 injured. About the racist, homophobic terrorist who had lined them up and shot them in an act of pure hate.

But when he finally did hear, there was only one person he cared about making sure was okay.

The Hades Cabin was empty, but trashed- ripped up pieces of paper covering the floor, the furniture overturned, holes in the wall that could've been caused by swords or fists.

Percy should've checked the Apollo Cabin next, because Nico should've been there- should've gone to his boyfriend in a time of such sadness and anger. But Percy knew Nico, better than anyone, maybe even better than Nico knew himself. And Nico wouldn't be able to be around people when he was this upset. Not even people he loved.

Percy found the son of Hades in the arena, the ruins of swords, shields, and practice dummies surrounding him. Nico was shouting angrily as he slashed at a fresh dummy with his Stygian Iron sword, skeletons crawling out of the ground and shadows swirling dangerously around the room.

The dummy burst apart as Nico expelled shadows at it in a fit of rage, and then the son of Hades fell to his knees, the shadows slowly fading around him as his angry shouts turned to sobs.

Percy slowly, cautiously approached his cousin and crouched down next to him, as Nico curled up on the floor and shook with silent sobs.

"I just heard," Percy said softly. "Are you okay?"

"What the hell do you think, Percy?" Nico growled, looking up at him with pitch black, bloodshot eyes. "50 people were just _brutally murdered_ because of who they love!"

Percy nodded. "I know."

"No," Nico snapped, wrapping his arms around himself and squeezing until it hurt. "Percy Jackson, you _don't_ know. And you'll _never_ know, because you'll _never_ know what it feels like not just to be scared for your life every minute of every day, but to be _physically afraid to live_ because everywhere you turn, there are people telling you that you're a _sin_ , or a _freak of nature_ , or that you should _die_ , just for being who you are and loving who you love. You will _never_ know what that feels like, so don't you _fucking_ dare say that you do."

There were a few moments of silence, as Nico stared at his cousin, tears staining his cheeks and shadow quivering around him.

Finally, Percy nodded. "You're right," he whispered. "You're absolutely right, I- I'm sorry. I just want to help."

" _Don't hate people_ ," the son of Hades said. "That's how you can help. Don't _ever_ hate someone when there is _nothing_ they can do to change."

Percy nodded again and leaned forward, hesitantly pulling his cousin into a hug, Nico's tears staining his shirt.

"I haven't seen you cry since the night your sister died," Percy whispered without thinking about it.

Nico tensed, then said determinedly, "Those 103 people _were_ my brothers and sisters."


End file.
